...History has proven that literature will always find a hero. In any culture and any time period there will be Epic Hero’s that will exemplify strength, courage, chivalry and family. These heroes portray a number of comparable attributes as well as a number of notable differences. Beowulf is a pillar in old English literature. He can be compared to the hero Achilles from the Iliad based on warrior strength and compared to Aeneas he went on a journey. Although many years separated these heroes and their journeys, there proved to be a comparison between them all that shows how the earlier hero inspired the later. The glories of a hero is something that is shown when comparing Beowolf an Achilles. Beowulf’s society held fame and glory at a high standard. He knew he would receive praise from the kingdom he went to help, but this shows how he also cares about others. Achilles does not like the Greeks. He went to war for the fame and glory, more than the cause. Achilles was a little more vain than Beowulf, but both of them enjoyed the glories of fighting. Beowulf and Achilles both have enemies that they face off against. Beowulf has numerous epic battles with creatures. The story revolves around his epic battle with Grendel. He then goes on to fight with Grendel’s mother. The ending is rounded off with at battle of him and a dragon. Achilles has to fight with Hector and the Trojan army. It seems as if this is how Achilles saw himself on the battle ground with an army facing him...
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...Taylor Hurford Dr. Dionne Felix Eng 271 July 12, 2017 #2 Throughout many centuries, a multitude of stories, legends, and myths of grand heroes who have outlasted the wrath of gods and goddesses, river monsters, beasts and even spirits of the underworld, have been to passed on and told to all the generations. Many of said stories came from pieces of literature that have been translated multiple times over the years. Examples of such works include Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey as well as Virgil’s The Aeneid. While each hero in each stories encounters his own journey, there are common stages that they all go through to reach “heroism.” What defines an epic hero is someone who is wise and noble in counsel action or war. The epic hero has to have a semi-divine spirit and a god as a parent (Barua, Page 1). Achilles was a hero in each and every form of the word. He was extraordinary and is said to be one of the greatest heroes of Greek mythology. He embodied all the great values that made up a superhuman. Achilles was strong, courageous, and loyal but he was also just a man-A man with a grave weakness and without the love, fear and sacrifice of his mother, he would have surely met an earlier end. When he was just a boy, his mother, Thetis, did everything to make sure her son was immortal. She would burn him over a fire every night, then dress his wounds with ambrosial ointment and then finally dunked him in the River Styx (History.comStaff). The river’s waters were said to...
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...Epic Conventions Epic conventions are things that most epic poems have in common. Structurally, they aren’t necessarily identical, but they share these common characteristics. Alexander Pope, like the true rationalist that he is, also employs these conventions in The Rape of the Lock. However, while he does use them, because the poem is a mock epic, meaning that it is poking fun satirically not only at epics but also at the subject (the “rape” of the hair, as in Belinda’s vanity and the heroine of the poem) and also of the people of the time—the upper class who took sides during the dispute. Be sure to read Pope’s letter to Arabella Fermor in the notes for Canto 1. Some EPIC CONVENTIONS are as follows: 1. In medias res. In Medias Res is Latin for "it begins in the middle of things" and then has flashbacks to explain action leading up to that point.In THE ILIAD, for example, the story begins after the war between the combined forces of Greece and the forces of the walled city of Troy and their allies has been in progress for nearly ten years. 2. Invocation to a muse. The story begins with an invocation(prayer) to a god or gods. The poet, who in those days would have been reciting the epic to an audience, say, at a banquet, began by calling for a blessing--for a god or gods to attend this effort of his. They probably literally believed that the called upon god or muse came into them and, therefore, that it was not the poet who recited, but the god in the poet's body. Poet's, then...
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...constituent attributes of a Greek Epic Hero? Explicate with reference to Odysseus and Achilles. The definition of an epic hero is very wide and varied. It includes a lot of attributes and criterions, but for a particular hero to reach the epic stature, it isn’t really necessary to fulfill all the demands and to come up to all the standards. In a very conventional sense, an epic hero is supposed to possess these qualities or is supposed to come up to these standards: 1. Is an important figure from history or legend. 2. Is usually favored by Gods or even partially descended from Gods i.e. semi-divine nature. 3. Takes part in a cyclical journey or quest, faces adversaries and returns home with significant transformation. 4. Illustrates traits, performs deeds and exemplifies certain morals that are valued and held dear by the society/ culture from which the hero comes. 5. Usually embodies cultural and religious beliefs of the people. 6. Has no superpowers, but is smart, brave and has fears too; which he must overcome to protect his friends, family and / or nation. 7. Can also be a warrior of some sort who performs extra-ordinary tasks that most find difficult. 8. Is also a polished speaker who can address councils of chieftains or elders with eloquence and confidence. Literature is replete with examples of epic heroes. Classical Greek literature in particular has produced some of the most famous epic heroes. The epic hero in Greek literature is best...
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...The Odyssey is an epic poem written by Homer telling the story of the King of Ithaca. Odysseus displays the traits of a true hero; strength, nobility, confidence, courage, and the love of glory. He gains fame through his journeys, victories and skill. As with all Homer created heroes, Odysseus possesses pride which causes him to do very unwise things. The Iliad is another epic poem written by Homer entertaining us with a story about Achilles. Achilles was the greatest warrior in the Achaean army. The most significant flaw of Achilles is his excessive pride. He is willing to subvert the good of the whole army and to endanger the lives of those who are closest to him to achieve emotional blackmail. The plot of the Odyssey is Odysseus’ 10 year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. While Odysseus battles mythical creatures and faces the wrath of the gods, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus fight off suitors or fakers trying to steal Penelope's hand from Odysseus and Ithaca's throne long enough for Odysseus to return. The Odyssey ends with Odysseus winning a contest to prove his identity, killing the suitors, and retaking the throne of Ithaca for himself. The plot of the Iliad is about the final year of the Trojan War, a conflict in which Greek warriors sailed the Aegean (Turkey) and surrounded the fortress of Troy for ten years, three millennia ago. The plot also includes the greek hero...
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...Mahabharata is to compare how these exiles were brought upon the heroes and the consequences when the hero returns to society. The difference between the Mahabharata and the other three epics, is that the exile of the Kuravas was imposed on them by others. Though Yudhisthira is technically the only one in the family who brought it upon himself by playing the crooked dice game. For the most part, the exile of the Kuravas is not self-imposed. This is very different to the exiles seen in the western epics. In the Iliad, Achilles exiles himself for feeling shamed by Agamemnon, he chooses not to fight and instead have hundreds of his countrymen die. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh chooses to abandon his kingdom for an unplanned amount of time on a search for immortality somewhere in nature because of Enkidu’s death. Both Achilles and Gilgamesh exile themselves because of strong feelings they get. The exile of Odysseus is about brought on by himself, by making Poseidon extra mad, not leaving Calypso’s Island, among other transgressions against the gods....
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...Essay “Hero” is one of the thousands of words a person is capable of looking up in the dictionary and the definition is not exactly described what it is stated as. Many Americans believe that the definition they are capable of getting out of the dictionary is the most correct and reliable definition. However, that is not the case because everyone in the world as their own definition of a hero. On the website of The My Hero Project by Ashley from Fredericksburg it is stated, “ When asked "What is a hero?," Christopher Reeve replied that he used to believe a hero was someone who commits a courageous action without considering the consequences. Now he believes that ‘A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.’ ” A hero does not have a specific definition that could be set in stone for each individual to comprehend. As in the Iliad with Achilles and in the epic of Beowulf, both were heroes in different ways. Whether it be them being main characters or being a male. Beowulf's’ heroic strengths and weaknesses versus the strengths and weaknesses of Achilles’ will be further described. Although the characteristics between the two are widely different, they are both fueled by pride and glory. The only reason Achilles goes to Troy is to enhance his own glory. On the other hand, Beowulf is not as persistent, but the value of glory in his society implies that glory was very important for him as well as Achilles. Although...
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...classify the genre of a piece. For example the story of Beowulf that is over 1000 years old has had controversy over calling it an epic piece or not calling it an epic piece of literature. An epic piece of literature is a long narrative poem that is composed dealing with a hero’s trials and accomplishments. Some scholars call Beowulf a folk epic or a mythological piece. This is because of the how Beowulf is almost running with history throughout the poem. There are divine intervention trials and triumphs and the mythological portion with the slaying of dragons and monsters in Beowulf. The story is really all about what it takes to be a hero but it starts off in a mythical fantasy kind of way. For example he fights monsters bare handed and he has strength that is almost divine. He saves the entire nation that is in fear of many mythical type creatures that no one in the land is willing to fight but him showing tremendous courage. But aside from his mystical fights with terror the poem really highlights the qualities in what makes him this fearless leader. For example he is courageous, generous, strong, cunning, fearless, selfless, wise, and has good morals. This is almost a heroic code that has followed all heroes in literature and in our culture today and throughout time with the same kind of qualities that deems the hero in the story. In the time period when Beowulf was written there were many things that line up in the story making it a very controversial poem that makes...
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...were two of the most well-known writers of Greek mythology and epic poetry. Although a lot of information is debatable about him, Homer was the first known person to write Greek literature. Homer has many claimed birthplaces. Among the most popular are Smyrna and Ionia. His main theme was the Trojan War between the Greek and Trojans. Even though he may have been blind, Homer is considered responsible for two of the most well-known books of Greek myth; Iliad and the Odyssey and Homeric Hymns which were short poems celebrating the various gods. The Iliad is a story of the siege of the city of Troy during the Trojan War. The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus, a warrior, and his ten year journey from Troy to Ithaca after the fall of Troy in the Trojan War (“The Life and Work of Homer”). Hesiod is along the side of Homer when it comes to the creation of the Greek gods. He was said to be born after Homer. He was a shepherd who worked in the mountains of Helicon. He got his inspiration to write epic poetry from an experience he had on the mountain where he met the Muses that appeared before him in a mist after the death of his father. Two of his most famous works were Theogony and Works and Days. Theogony is the story of the creation of the Greek gods and their evolution. His second story, Works and Days, was about the struggle between him and his brother over the property of his father Greek mythology is the passed down stories by bards about Greek gods and the creation and trials of the...
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...was thought to be typical, and one of his foremost works, The Iliad, reflects this. Nearly all of the Greek gods are involved in the outcome of the Trojan War, which happens to be the background story of this epic poem. The gods are used by Homer to add twists on an otherwise standard plot of war. Evidently, the gods will be a powerful source of divine intervention and their actions certainly have significant outcomes on the Trojan War, and more importantly, the story of The Iliad. Zeus, very untypical of a Greek god in his lack of involvement in the Trojan War for selfish reasons, was portrayed as the father figure, being impartial and fair to both sides of the war. He remains this way to serve as a check for the other god's involvement in the war. Without the presence of fate controlling the inner circle of Olympus, it is likely that the activity of the Trojan War would have become chaotic, possibly even becoming a playground of war for the gods. The power of fate, above all of the other gods combined, is a power that not even divine intervention can prevent. This theme of fate and how it controls the god’s actions is quite befitting to the storyline of The Iliad. The Iliad, in essence, recounts the story of part of the tenth year of the Trojan War. It recounts of the anger of Achilles, the greatest warrior present at Troy, and of the background battle that is ensuing. The reoccurring theme in the Iliad is that no matter whom the character is, god or human, they are bound to their...
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...The Hero as a Reflection of Culture Belen Lowrey Abstract: In works of literature, a hero is a man to be admired and emulated. For this reason, the hero always demonstrates the embodiment of the ideals of the creating culture. Historical events and social conditions of different cultures cause different attributes to become valued in leaders. These cultural values are reflected in both the actions of a hero and in the heroic motivations. This paper focuses on the heroes of the Iliad, the Aeneid, Beowulf, and The Song of Roland and examines how historical events and cultural circumstances shaped the portrayal of the heroes in these works. Sabiduria, vol.1,1 Hero as a Reflection of Culture 1 Every culture has heroes. In works of literature, is an individual to be admired and emulated, and because of this he is the embodiment of the greatest virtues of the culture that created him. The ideals of every culture were shaped by the social conditions of the time and therefore different attributes became valued. To different degrees, the hero in a work is a result of not only the culture from which the hero comes, but also the culture of the author. Cultural values are reflected in both the actions of a hero and his motivations. As heroes, Achilles, Aeneas, Beowulf, and Roland reflect the values of the societies that created them. One of the oldest works of ancient literature is Homer‟s Iliad. Homer‟s works are dated to between 900 and 750 B.C. (Krieger,...
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...introduced as suppliants to the masculine heroines.They are depicted as being inferior to men both physically and intellectually.Throughout the Iliad, women play a modest but important role that embodies their relative significance and the impact they have on the affairs that take place. INTRODUCTION Different types of women are represented in the epic poem The Iliad: strong-willed andshrewd women, damsel-in-distress types, wicked and vengeful women, or even women who cause the downfall of the protagonist male hero. Moreover, there are also women depicted as possessions (war prizes) or women who have little or no control over her destiny. The epic poem, generally regarded as “a male-dominated world” focuses centrally on the rage between men but it also happen that most of the time this rage is affected, initiated, and inspired by a woman. HELEN OF TROY The most celebrated woman figure in the poem is probably Helen of Troy. Helen attracted men from afar and also close to home who saw her as a means to the Spartan throne. Her first mate was Theseus, hero of Athens, who had kidnapped her when she was a little girl. Then later in the story Menelaus married her. Helen of Troy in the Illiad was the main cause to the entire war fought between the trojans and the greeks. She basically had two men fighting over her and thats when everything began...
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...Lord of the Rings and Modern Day Epic? Epic adventures are one of the oldest and most celebrated works of literature. These adventures paint pictures of larger-than-life heroes, terrifying battle scenes, and heroic triumphs. Most epics served the purpose of transmitting culture and history, as well as entertaining readers. Among classical epics are the well-known Epic of Gilgamesh, The Iliad, and The Odyssey. However, is the epic adventure a dying breed of literature? Is it possible that epic stories have sustained the test of time and evolved over the centuries? The Lord of the Rings trilogy, including The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, is one of the greatest examples of a modern day epic. What do The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and The Lord of the Rings all have in common? They all share typical characteristics of epic adventures in some form or another. Though the motives and reasons may differ, the theme of journeying is common to all epic adventures. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, King Gilgamesh sets out on a perilous adventure with his closest friend Enkidu in order to find enduring fame and glory. In The Odyssey, the main character Odysseus embarks on a 10 year-long journey through trials and tests to find his way back home to his wife and son. Epic hero Achilles, of The Iliad, sets out to fight in the legendary Trojan War. Similarly, Frodo Baggins, unassuming hero of The Lord of the Rings, sets out from his home and...
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...Beowulf and Achilles were very famous amongst their people, the fame of Achilles is originated from his mother dipping him into the River of Styx to make him immortal. However, she missed his heel and this ended up being a vulnerable weakness to him. His Heroism during the Trojan war with the Greeks also gained him plenty of fame. Beowulf is just as famous if not more famous in his world because of how safe he made his people feel. They always depended on him and he delivered when he defeated Grendel in his final battle. After he beat Grendel his fame grew because all the people around the world learned of Beowulf when they all came to see proof of the death of Grendel. Beowulf showed a lot of bravery when he stepped up to fight Grendel....
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...The concerns and importance of basic human needs and emotions is deeply explored in Homer’s epic poem “The Iliad Book XXIV”, the key concerns shows the similarity between all people, and how humanity is the same at its roots no matter the difference of culture and time. The conflicts that arise in “The Iliad” all come back to the notion of honour and pride and how people want to be perceived; honour is an idea woven throughout personal, social and cultural beliefs. War is the motif of honour, it is celebrated in “The Iliad” and in Petersen’s film “Troy”; the men are measured by their bravery and honour towards their King’s and their country in war. The Imagery used in “The Iliad” and “Troy” is constantly made up of war related concepts; “battlefield”,...
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